New Intersection?

In just 45 minutes during rush hour at the intersection of Edgewood, Cedar, and I-96 in Lansing, we watched many a driver run a red light, make an illegal left, and cut others off as they attempt to merge.

Ask anyone who takes this route day after day, and they'll tell you it's the best many can do in this corner of south Lansing.

"It's not the best set-up," says John Verhage, as he passes through from Saranac.

The official word from the city is that it's a busy, but not especially dangerous junction. That said, they've seen enough nasty accidents, and heard enough angry complaints to agree that something should be done.

"The major component is confusion. 'How I get where I want to go in this area?', explains the city's principal traffic engineer, Mitch Whisler.

In response, they've used a federal grant to come up with three possible alternative traffic patterns. One is a boulevard, one a series of roundabouts, and the third would pinch all those roads into just one big intersection.

"If we are able to go through with the whole process, and obtain the funding, it could begin as early as 2009," Whisler says.

Wednesday night, those involved with a feasibility study called IPACE heard public comment to help them pick a design by winter or spring. They'll then ask for the money from Uncle Sam--$5 to 7 million minimum--to get change underway.

If the funding comes through and the project does happen, it would take place in phases to ease the strain on nearby businesses.

For more info on the project, check out www.cityoflansingmi.com/ipace.

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